Everyone knows Shaoxing yellow rice wine. In fact, in Hubei, Fangxian rice wine is more famous, and its popularity is no less than Shaoxing. Yellow rice wine is divided into dry rice wine, semi-dry rice wine, sweet rice wine and semi-sweet rice wine. Shaoxing rice wine belongs to semi-dry rice wine, and Fangxian rice wine belongs to semi-sweet rice wine. Some people joked that Fangxian yellow rice wine was for ancient emperors and Shaoxing yellow rice wine was for yamen touts, but Shaoxing yellow rice wine was commercialized in advance by combining the advantages of all parties. According to historical records, Shaoxing yellow rice wine was first born in the period of Gou Jian, King of Yue in 492 BC, and "Fangling yellow rice wine" became the "imperial wine" as early as the Western Zhou Dynasty in 827 BC. In 827 BC, the King of Chu sent Yin Jifu, the author of The Book of Songs, to propose a toast to Zhou Xuanwang. Wang Xuan praised the wine and named it "Imperial Wine". During the reign of King Luling, "Fangxian Yellow Rice Wine" reached its peak.

In 684 AD, Wu Zetian abolished Li Xian, Tang Zhongzong, was demoted to King Luling and moved to Zhoufang (namely Fangxian County, Hubei Province). King Luling was exiled to Zhou Fang in 14, accompanied by more than 720 craftsmen, including many royal winemakers who were proficient in various winemaking secrets. He personally led the master brewer to collect local products as raw materials, improve the secret recipe of the palace and upgrade the fermentation process to brew the fragrant "Fangling Yellow Wine" all year round. Obsessed with addiction, the food never leaves the mouth. In 705 AD, after the restoration of Li Xian, this wine was specially named "Imperial Wine", so Fangxian yellow rice wine was also called "Imperial Wine". It can be described as "thinking about drinking three small cups of yellow rice wine, not suffering from being a Lingren". According to statistics, from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty (18), * * * 23 imperial figures became attached to Fangxian rice wine, which is a great miracle of China. Fangxian yellow rice wine is hard to come by, and it takes 180 days to brew high-quality yellow rice wine.

Li Shizhen, a medical scientist in Ming Dynasty, said in Compendium of Materia Medica that yellow rice wine has the functions of taking medicine, killing poison, dredging blood vessels, thickening stomach and nourishing temper. Drinking yellow wine can not only stimulate appetite, make people feel happy and comfortable, but also play a health care role. Drinking it regularly at the right time can help blood circulation, promote metabolism, nourish blood and moisten skin, relax muscles and promote blood circulation. "On September 9th, yellow wine was brewed." Every year from the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, every household in Fangxian County is busy brewing yellow wine. At this time, the sunshine is strong, the autumn is crisp, and the particles are returned to the warehouse, which is the best time for brewing yellow rice wine. According to the local view, the brewing of rice wine in Fangxian county is regional, that is, only local ingredients, from Xiaoqu and glutinous rice to streams and groundwater, can produce precious and good products.

This is also the biggest reason why Fangxian yellow rice wine is widely praised by Hubei people and then famous throughout the country. In the restaurant in Wuhan, I was most impressed by drinking Fangxian yellow wine from two places. One is Fangling farmhouse in Dongting, which is said to be Hanban restaurant in Fangxian County, where you can meet authentic Fangxian cuisine. The signature Tujia soup is indispensable. You can ask the waiter to help you divide the chicken and cut it with chopsticks. The chicken is tender and the chicken soup is delicious. Four people can drink every bite. Beef tendon and lotus root slices, beef tendon and meat are quite good, and the amount given is acceptable. This family also has Fangxian yellow wine to drink. In autumn and winter, warm a pot of yellow wine to drive away the cold. In summer, enjoy the cool and cool off the heat. Several times, I had dinner with my friends at Sister-in-law's house in Guangba Road, South Gate of Wuhan University. I ordered a plate of pickled peanuts with edamame and cooked some cold dishes like duck neck. Fangxian yellow rice wine should be chilled.